Oscilloscope Laboratories’ Cannes Jury Prize Winner and Independent Spirit international film winner Joyland led New York’s Film Forum to one of its biggest opening weekends for a foreign language film in nearly a decade, taking in north of $21k on one screen, the distributor said.
Buoyed by strong reviews and strategic marketing, the film by Saim Sadiq sold out nine showtimes, with the theater adding additional shows.
The first Pakistani film to officially compete at Cannes it screened in Un Certain Regard winning the Jury Prize then playing at TIFF, Sundance and New Directors/New Films.
It is still banned in much of Pakistan due to themes of queerness and inclusiveness. Expands to LA on April 21, then to top 50 markets and beyond.
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